Image forming apparatus, and control method of image forming apparatus

ABSTRACT

An image forming apparatus includes a first setting unit that sets a setting value of individual setting information for a login user, and a second setting unit that sets, in a case where a logout request is received, a setting value of common setting information, wherein the second setting unit omits, in a case where a login request of a new user is received while the user is logged in, a process for setting the setting value of the common setting information based on the common setting information, and the first setting unit sets a setting value of individual setting information for the new user based on individual setting information associated with user identification information for identifying the new user.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

Aspects of the present invention generally relate to an image formingapparatus having a function for customizing for each user, and a controlmethod thereof.

2. Description of the Related Art

Recent image forming apparatuses include various functions, andoperation contents performed by users have also become more complex.

In general, an image forming apparatus is often shared by some users.There is thus an auto clear function for automatically clearing, if auser has changed setting values of the image forming apparatus, thechanged setting values after a predetermined time. A subsequent user isthen prevented from using the image forming apparatus without noticingthat the setting values have been changed. In such a use case, it isnecessary for a user to select a desired setting screen from an initialmenu of the image forming apparatus each time the user uses the imageforming apparatus and change the setting values. As a result, even ifsetting values of setting information regularly used by each user arefixed, it is necessary for each user to set the same setting valuesevery time, and thus it becomes burdensome.

For example, it is assumed that a setting value of display languageinformation is set to Japanese in an image forming apparatus. A user whodesires to use the image forming apparatus with the display language setto English is required to perform the following operation. The userchanges the setting value of display language information from Japaneseto English, uses the desired function, and then changes the settingvalue of display language information from English to Japanese.

To address the above-described situation, there is an image formingapparatus which includes a customize function to be used by a user toset individual setting values. The initial values and behavior of theimage forming apparatus can thus be changed according to the individualsetting values, and use of the functions can be limited to an individualuser who registers a shortcut function.

However, it is desirable that setting values of setting information foran individual user are automatically set to setting information of theimage forming apparatus, for further improving user-friendliness.However, if the setting values of individual user are left to be set, itmay not be useful for a different user when the different user uses theimage forming apparatus. It is thus desirable that the settinginformation of the image forming apparatus is automatically changed tocommon setting values when a user ends using the image formingapparatus.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-26972 discusses atechnique for associating language identification information indicatinga type of language with personal authentication data, and switching alanguage to be used on an operation screen or printing of a report to alanguage indicated by the associated language identificationinformation. According to the above-described technique, when executionof a job has been completed, a non-operating state has continued for apredetermined time, or a job input operation has been completed afterthe language has been switched, the language used on the operationscreen is switched back to the previous language.

The image forming apparatus on which the setting value of displaylanguage information can be set for each user performs an authenticationprocess (i.e., a login process) for identifying a user when the useruses the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus performs aprocess for switching the setting value of display language informationto a setting value of setting information for the user, at the time oflogin. Then, when the user ends using the image forming apparatus, theuser logs out (hereinafter, the process for changing from the logged-instate to a not logged-in state will be referred to as a logout process).The image forming apparatus switches the setting value of displaylanguage information to a setting value of common display languageinformation, at the time of logout.

Further, the image forming apparatus is capable of employing integratedcircuit (IC) card authentication or biometrics authentication as anauthentication process for identifying a user. A user brings an IC cardclose to a receiving unit of the image forming apparatus, or a part ofthe body relating to the biometrics authentication close to anidentification unit of the image forming apparatus, and can thus loginto the image forming apparatus.

According to the above-described configuration, a user can interruptanother user by the IC card authentication or the biometricsauthentication and log into the image forming apparatus without usingoperation keys while another user is using the image forming apparatus.

In such a case, the logout process of a previous user is performed asthe authentication process, and the login process of an interruptinguser is then performed. As a result, the image forming apparatusswitches the display language to a common display language when theprevious user logs out and further switches the display language to adisplay language of login user when the interrupting user logs in. Anunnecessarily switching process is thus involved, and a login operationbecomes delayed.

For example, when a user A is logged in the image forming apparatususing French as the display language, a user B whose setting value ofdisplay language is English may log in. The image forming apparatus onceswitches the display language to the common display language (e.g.,Japanese) when performing the logout process and then switches thedisplay language to English when the user B logs in.

Further, there is an image forming apparatus capable of switchingsetting values of setting information other than the display language.With such an image forming apparatus, setting values of all types ofsetting information are switched to setting values of common settinginformation when a user logs out. As a result, excessive processing isinvolved and the login operation becomes delayed.

SUMMARY

Aspects of the present invention are generally directed to promptlyperforming a login process of a new user.

According to an aspect of the present invention, an image formingapparatus includes a first setting unit configured to set, in a casewhere a login request is received and authentication of a user issuccessful, a setting value of individual setting information for theuser to setting information of the image forming apparatus based onindividual setting information associated with user identificationinformation for identifying the user, and a second setting unitconfigured to set, in a case where a logout request is received, asetting value of common setting information to the setting informationof the image forming apparatus based on common setting information,wherein the second setting unit omits, in a case where a login requestof a new user is received while the user is logged in, a process forsetting the setting value of the common setting information to thesetting information of the image forming apparatus based on the commonsetting information, and the first setting unit sets a setting value ofindividual setting information for the new user to the settinginformation of the image forming apparatus based on individual settinginformation associated with user identification information foridentifying the new user.

Further features of the present disclosure will become apparent from thefollowing description of exemplary embodiments with reference to theattached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configurationof a multifunction peripheral (MFP).

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a software configurationof the MFP.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams each illustrating an example of a screen.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of information processingperformed by an authentication control unit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a setting database (DB).

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of screen transition.

FIG. 7A is a flowchart illustrating an example of the image processingperformed by the authentication control unit, and FIG. 7B is a flowchartillustrating logout processing in detail.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating information processing performed by asetting value storage control unit in detail.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are flowcharts each illustrating the informationprocessing performed by the setting value storage control unit indetail.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary embodiments will be described below with reference to thedrawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configurationof a multifunction peripheral (MFP) 101. FIG. 1 illustrates an examplefor describing the present exemplary embodiment, and the MFP 101 mayinclude other elements or may have a configuration having a similareffect as the present exemplary embodiment.

A central processing unit (CPU) 111, a random access memory (RAM) 112, aread-only memory (ROM) 113, an input control interface (I/F) 114, adisplay control I/F 115, an external memory I/F 116, and a communicationI/F controller 117 are connected to a system bus 110. Further, a scanner121 and a printer 122 are connected to the system bus 110. The unitsconnected to the system bus 110 are capable of exchanging data betweeneach other via the system bus 110.

The CPU 111 controls each device, and calculates and processes data.

The RAM 112 is a volatile memory used as a main memory and a temporarilystorage area of, for example, a work area, of the CPU 111.

The ROM 113 is a non-volatile memory which stores image data, otherdata, and various programs for operations of the CPU 111, respectivelyin predetermined areas.

For example, the CPU 111 controls each unit of the MFP 101 according tothe program stored in the ROM 113, using the RAM 112 as the work memory.The programs for the CPU 111 to operate are not limited to being storedin the ROM 113 and may also be stored in an external memory 120. The CPU111 executes processes based on the programs so that the configurationof software of the MFP 101 and the processes of the flowcharts describedbelow are realized.

The input control I/F 114 receives a user operation, generates a controlsignal according to the operation, and supplies the control signal tothe CPU 111. For example, the input control I/F 114 is connected to acharacter information input device, such as a keyboard, and a pointingdevice, such as a mouse or a touch panel 118, as input devices forreceiving the user operation. The touch panel 118 is, for example, aninput device which is configured to output coordinate informationaccording to a position touched on an input unit formed in a planarstate. Further, the input control I/F 114 is connected to a card reader123, which is a device for reading the IC card.

The CPU 111 controls each unit of the MFP 101 according to the programbased on the control signal generated and supplied by the input controlI/F 114 in response to the user operation performed on the input device.As a result, the CPU 111 is capable of causing the MFP 101 to executeprocesses according to the user operation. The display control I/F 115outputs a display signal for causing a display 119 to display an image.For example, the CPU 111 supplies a display control signal generatedaccording to the program to the display control I/F 115. The displaycontrol I/F 115 then generates the display signal based on the supplieddisplay control signal and outputs the display signal to the display119. More specifically, the display control I/F 115 causes the display119 to display a graphical user interface (GUI) screen configuring aGUI, based on the display control signal generated by the CPU 111.

The touch panel 118 may be integrally-configured with the display 119.For example, the touch panel 118 is formed in such a manner that lighttransmittance thereof does not block displaying of the display 119 andattached to an upper layer of a display surface of the display 119.Input coordinates of the touch panel 118 are then associated withdisplay coordinates of the display 119. The GUI which allows the user tofeel as if directly operating on the screen displayed on the display 119can thus be configured.

The external memory 120, such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a flashmemory, or a memory card, is attachable to the external memory I/F 116.The external memory I/F 116 reads and writes data from and to theexternal memory 120 attached to the MFP 101, based on control of the CPU111. The CPU 111 may also use the external memory 120 in place of theROM 113 depending on the configuration.

The communication I/F controller 117 communicates with a local areanetwork (LAN), the Internet, and wired and wireless network based oncontrol of the CPU 111. Various devices, such as a personal computer(PC), another MFP, a printer, and a server, are connected to a network102 so as to be capable of communicating with the MFP 101.

The scanner 121 reads a document and generates image data based oncontrol of the CPU 111. For example, the CPU 111 causes the scanner 121to perform scanning according to a user instruction input via the inputcontrol I/F 114. The scanner 121 reads a document placed on a documentpositioning plate or an auto document feeder (ADF), converts an image ofthe read document to digital data, and generates image data. The scanner121 stores the generated image data in the external memory 120 via theexternal memory I/F 116.

The printer 122 prints, based on control of the CPU 111, the image datastored in the external memory 120. For example, the CPU 111 causes theprinter 122 to print according to the user instruction input via theinput control I/F 114 or a command input from the external device viathe communication I/F controller 117. The printer 122 then reads theimage data from the external memory 120, converts the read image data toa printable data format, and prints on a paper document.

The software configuration of the MFP 101 will be described below withreference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example fordescribing the present exemplary embodiment, and the MFP 101 may includeother elements or may have a configuration having a similar effect asthe present exemplary embodiment. The programs corresponding to each ofthe control units illustrated in FIG. 2 are stored in the ROM 113,developed in the RAM 112 as necessary at activation or use of thefunction, and executed by the CPU 111. As a result, each of the controlunits illustrated in FIG. 2 is realized.

The MFP 101 includes a display operation control unit 201, anauthentication control unit 202, a setting value storage control unit203, and a user mode control unit 204.

Further, the MFP 101 includes one or more functions. A control unit isprovided for each of the functions, and a copy control unit 210, atransmission control unit 211, and a custom menu control unit 212 areillustrated in FIG. 2, as examples thereof. There are control unitsother than the control units illustrated in FIG. 2 for each of otherfunctions related to the process by the MFP 101. Examples of the otherfunctions include a secure print function, a help function, a facsimilefunction, and the like. The secure print function is for retaining aprint job input from a driver in the MFP 101 and only allowing anauthenticated user or a user knowing a password associated with theprint job to print. The box function is for storing image data in theMFP 101. The help function is for displaying a help screen. Thefacsimile function is for receiving a facsimile document from a publiccommunication network.

The display operation control unit 201 controls the input control I/F114 and the display control I/F 115. For example, the display operationcontrol unit 201 performs displaying on the display 119 via the displaycontrol I/F 115 based on an instruction from other control units.Further, the display operation control unit 201 obtains informationinput by the user on the touch panel 118 via the input control I/F 114.

The authentication control unit 202 performs an authentication process(hereinafter referred to as a login process) for identifying the userand determines whether an operator of the MFP 101 is a valid user of theMFP 101. Further, the authentication control unit 202 controls adatabase (hereinafter referred to as a user information DB 320) storingthe user information in the external memory 120.

An example of the login process will be described below with referenceto FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 4.

FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating an example of an input screen of alogin screen 300. Referring to FIG. 3A, the login screen 300 includes auser name input form 301, a password input form 302, a login destinationselection button 303, and a login button 304. FIG. 3B is a diagramillustrating an example of a screen 310 for login.

Referring to FIG. 3B, the user can select between IC card authentication311 and keyboard authentication 312. The example of FIG. 3B illustratesthat the user has selected the IC card authentication. The screen 310for login displays a message prompting the user to log in using the ICcard. The user uses, for example, the card reader 123 to allow the MFP101 to read the IC card and thus logs in. On the other hand, when theuser selects the keyboard authentication 312, the MFP 101 switches thescreen displayed on the touch panel 118 from the screen 310 for loginillustrated in FIG. 3B to the login screen 300 illustrated in FIG. 3A.In FIG. 3A, selection keys for selecting the IC card authentication 311and the keyboard authentication 312 are not illustrated. However, theMFP 101 may display the selection keys in the login screen 300illustrated in FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of information processingperformed by the authentication control unit 202 when the user hasinstructed the MFP 101 to perform the login process. As described above,the process performed by the authentication control unit 202 is realizedby the CPU 111 executing the program stored in the ROM 113. Theauthentication control unit 202 issues a request for executing thefollowing process to each of the control units.

In step S310, the display operation control unit 201 displays the loginscreen 300 on the display 119. In step S311, upon the user performing aninput operation on the touch panel 118, the display operation controlunit 201 receives the user name from the user name input form 301 andthe password from the password input form 302, via the display controlI/F 115. In step S312, the authentication control unit 202 receives theuser name and the password input in step S311 from the display operationcontrol unit 201 and determines whether the received user name andpassword match the user name and the password in the user information DB320. In a case where the user name and the password do not match (NO instep S312), the authentication control unit 202 determines that thelogin has failed, and the process proceeds to step S313. In step S313,the authentication control unit 202 notifies the user via the displayoperation control unit 201 that the login has failed, and the processreturns to step S310, so that the MFP 101 returns to a login receptionstate. On the other hand, in a case where the user name and the passwordmatch (YES in step S312), the authentication control unit 202 determinesthat the authentication is successful, and the process proceeds to stepS314. In step S314, the authentication control unit 202 changes theauthentication state from a not logged-in state to a logged-in state andissues a user identifier 321. In step S315, the authentication controlunit 202 performs a process for reflecting individual setting values viathe setting value storage control unit 203. The process performed instep S315 will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 8. Instep S316, the authentication control unit 202 notifies the user via thedisplay operation control unit 201 that the login is successful. Theprocess illustrated in FIG. 4 thus ends.

The authentication method is not limited to the above. Alternatively,other authentication methods, for example, a method using a noncontacttype IC card, may be employed. Further, it is not necessary for the userinformation DB 320 to be included in the MFP 101, and the authenticationmay be performed using an external authentication server, such as anActive Directory (AD) and the like. In such a case, the authenticationcontrol unit 202 requests the external authentication server via thecommunication I/F controller 117 to perform the authentication andmatching. Furthermore, the MFP 101 may be configured to be capable ofswitching use between the user information DB 320 therein and theexternal authentication server. In such a configuration, the userselects on a screen, such as the screen illustrated in FIG. 3A, theauthentication server to perform the authentication by pressing thelogin destination selection button 303.

Moreover, the authentication control unit 202 provides functions forregistering and deleting a user and updating user information. Further,the authentication control unit 202 provides a group function. The groupis a collection of a plurality of users, and the authentication controlunit 202 is capable of registering a plurality of groups. The user maybelong to none or any number of groups. The authentication control unit202 provides functions for registering and deleting a group, updatinggroup information, and allowing a user to join or withdraw from a group.

Furthermore, the authentication control unit 202 stores the useridentifier 321 and an identifier for uniquely identifying a group(hereinafter referred to as a group identifier 322) in the userinformation DB 320.

The authentication control unit 202 stores information indicating whichuser belongs to which group in the user information DB 320.

The setting value storage control unit 203 will be described below. Thesetting value storage control unit 203 is the control unit for storingcommon setting information, individual setting information, and groupsetting information. The common setting information is settinginformation to which all users refer. The individual setting informationis the setting information to which a corresponding user can only refer.The group setting information is the setting information to which usersbelonging to a corresponding group can only refer. The settinginformation includes a pair of one or more setting items and settingvalues set to the setting items.

The setting value storage control unit 203 stores each of the settingvalues in a setting DB 400 in the external memory 120. FIG. 5 is adiagram illustrating an example of the setting DB 400. The setting DB400 stores pairs of a key for identifying a setting value and thesetting value, as the setting information. The setting DB 400 isexpressed in a layered structure. A first layer includes targetinformation. The target includes information for identifying whether theinformation is the common setting information, the individual settinginformation, or the group setting information. In the case of theindividual setting information, the target includes the user identifier321 for identifying the user. In the case of the group settinginformation, the target includes the group identifier 322 foridentifying the group. In the setting DB 400 illustrated in FIG. 5, adevice identifier 323 is indicated as “device”, the user identifier 321as “user name”, and the group identifier 322 as “group name”, for easeof description. A corresponding value is determined by a combination ofthe target and the key. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the individual settinginformation is set associated with the user identifier in the setting DB400. The user identifier is an example of the user identificationinformation.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 5, a setting value corresponding to akey “display language” for a target “user A” is “Japanese”. A settingvalue corresponding to the key “display language” for a target “user B”is “Chinese”. In another example, a setting value corresponding to a key“individual address book-individual address 1” for the target “user B”is “ccc@abc.com”. The individual setting information is stored for thenumber of users. In contrast, the device setting information (i.e., thecommon setting information) is the only setting information in the MFP101. In the case of the example illustrated in FIG. 5, a setting valuecorresponding to a key “device-display language” is “English”. A settingvalue corresponding to a key “group address book-group address 1” for atarget “group 1” is “gl@abc.com”. For example, it is assumed that theuser A and the user B belong to the group 1. The user A and the user Bcan thus refer to the group address book of the group 1. However, a userC not belonging to the group 1 cannot refer to the group address book ofthe group 1.

Among the setting information in the setting DB 400, there are theindividual setting information and the common setting information whichshare the same key and which do not share the same key. In a case wherethe individual setting information and the common setting informationshare the same key, the common setting value is treated as an initialsetting value when the individual setting value is not registered. Inthe example illustrated in FIG. 5, an individual setting for the user Cis not registered. In such a case, “English” which is the common settingvalue is applied to the display language information for the user C.

Further, in a case where the individual setting information and thecommon setting information do not share the same key, the individualsetting information is treated as not registered or that the number ofregistrations thereof is 0. For example, a key “individual address book”exists for only the setting information in which the target is“individual” (the address book will be described below). In contrast, akey “common address book” exists for only the setting information inwhich the target is “device”. In the example illustrated in FIG. 5,there are no individual address books for the user C. Since the commonsetting information exists, the user C can refer to “common address 1”,“common address 2”, and “common address 3” in the common address book.

The setting value storage control unit 203 reads the individual settingvalues in the setting DB 400 at a time of login and reflects the readsetting values on respective setting information of the MFP 101. Theuser can thus use the MFP 101 customized according to the setting valuesof the individual setting information registered thereby. Further, thesetting value storage control unit 203 reads the common setting valuesin the setting DB 400 at a time of logout and reflects the read commonsetting values on respective setting information of the MFP 101. As aresult, functions which can be used in the not logged-in state can beused according to the common setting values. As illustrated in FIG. 5,the setting information includes the display language information, theinitial screen information, and the address book information.

The display language information will be described below with referenceto FIG. 6 as an example of individual setting information which can becustomized. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the user Alogs in and the screen changes from the login screen 300 to a top menuscreen 410. It is assumed that the setting value of display languageinformation in the common setting information is “English” and thesetting value of display language information for the user A is“Japanese”. Since the common setting values are valid in the loginscreen 300 where the authentication state is in the not logged-in state,the screen is displayed in “English” as the display language, as in thescreen illustrated on the left side of FIG. 6. When the user A then logsin and the authentication is successful, the setting value of displaylanguage information for the user A is reflected in step S315 of theflowchart illustrated in FIG. 4. The screen in the logged-in state isthus displayed in “Japanese” as the display language, as in the screenillustrated on the right side of FIG. 6. Further, when the user A logsouts, the setting value of common display language information isreflected, so that the login screen 300 is displayed in “English” as thedisplay language.

FIG. 7A is a flowchart illustrating an example of information processingperformed by the authentication control unit 202, when the user hasinstructed interrupt login. As described above, the process performed bythe authentication control unit 202 is realized by the CPU 111 executingthe program stored in the ROM 113. The authentication control unit 202issues a request for executing the following process to each of thecontrol units.

In step S701, the authentication control unit 202 determines whether thelogin request has been received from the display operation control unit201. In a case where the authentication control unit 202 determines thatthe request has been received (YES in step S701), the process proceedsto step S702.

In step S702, the authentication control unit 202 determines whether theauthentication state is in the logged-in state. In a case where theauthentication control unit 202 determines that the authentication stateis in the logged-in state (YES in step S702), the process proceeds tostep S703. In a case where the authentication control unit 202determines that the authentication state is not in the logged-in state(NO in step S702), the process proceeds to step S705.

In step S703, the authentication control unit 202 determines whether thelogin request received in step S701 is a login request from a user(i.e., a new user) different from the logged-in user. In a case wherethe authentication control unit 202 determines that the login request isfrom a different user (YES in step S703), the process proceeds to stepS704.

In step S704, the authentication control unit 202 executes the logoutprocess of the previous user. The logout process will be described indetail below with reference to FIG. 7B.

In step S705, the authentication control unit 202 determines whetheruser information in the login request matches the user information inthe user information DB 320.

In a case where the user information in the login request does not match(NO in step S705), the process proceeds to step S709. In step S709, theauthentication control unit 202 determines that the login has failed andnotifies the user that the login has failed. On the other hand, in acase where the user information in the login request matches (YES instep S705), the process proceeds to step S706.

In step S706, the authentication control unit 202 determines that theauthentication is successful. The authentication control unit 202 thenchanges the authentication state from the not logged-in state to thelogged-in state and issues the user identifier 321.

In step S707, the authentication control unit 202 performs via thesetting value storage control unit 203 the process for reflecting theindividual setting values described in detail below with reference toFIG. 8. In step S708, the authentication control unit 202 notifies theuser via the display operation control unit 201 that the login issuccessful, and the login process illustrated in FIG. 7A ends.

FIG. 7B is a flowchart illustrating in detail the logout processperformed in step S704 of the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 7A. Theprocess of changing a logged-in state to the not logged-in state isreferred to as logout.

In step S721, the authentication control unit 202 changes theauthentication state from the logged-in state to the not logged-instate.

In step S722, the authentication control unit 202 releases the useridentifier obtained at the time of login.

In step S723, the authentication control unit 202 determines whether thelogin request has been received from the display operation control unit201. In a case where the authentication control unit 202 determines thatthe login request has been received (YES in step S723), the logoutprocess ends.

If the authentication control unit 202 determines that the login requesthas not been received (NO in step S723), the process proceeds to stepS724. This process corresponds to a case where the user has issued alogout request from the touch panel 118.

In step S724, the setting value storage control unit 203 refers to alist of the keys in the setting information and determines whether allof the setting values of the common setting information (i.e., thecommon setting values) have been obtained. In a case where not all ofthe common setting values have been obtained (NO in step S724), theprocess proceeds to step S725. In a case where all of the common settingvalues have been obtained (YES in step S724), the process proceeds tostep S727.

In step S725, the setting value storage control unit 203 obtains thecommon setting values from the setting DB 400.

In step S726, the setting value storage control unit 203 transmits theobtained common setting values to respective control units and issues arequest for changing the processes to each control unit. The processthen returns to step S724, and the setting value storage control unit203 determines whether all of the setting values with respect to thekeys included in the list have been processed. In a case where all ofthe setting values have been processed (YES in step S724), the processproceeds to step S727.

In step S727, the authentication control unit 202 notifies the user viathe display operation control unit 201 that the logout is successful.The logout process thus ends.

By performing the process of the above-described flowchart, in a casewhere the new user logs in while the previous user is logged in, theprocesses performed in step S724 to step S727 are omitted. As a result,the unnecessary process of reflecting the common setting values is notperformed.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating in detail the information processingperformed by the setting value storage control unit 203 for controllingreflecting of the individual setting values in step S315 of theflowchart illustrated in FIG. 4 and step S707 of the flowchartillustrated in FIG. 7A. As described above, the process performed by thesetting value storage control unit 203 is realized by the CPU 111executing the program stored in the ROM 113. The setting value storagecontrol unit 203 issues a request for executing the following process toeach of the control units.

In step S410, the setting value storage control unit 203 refers to thelist of the keys in the setting information indicating the settingvalues required to be reflected at the time of login. The setting valuestorage control unit 203 then determines whether all of the settingvalues with respect to the keys included in the list have been obtained.The list is stored in, for example, the setting DB 400. In a case wherenot all of the individual setting values have been obtained (NO in stepS410), the process proceeds to step S411. In step S411, the settingvalue storage control unit 203 receives the user identifier 321 issuedin step S314 of the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 4 from theauthentication control unit 202 and obtains the individual settingvalues of corresponding user from the setting DB 400. In step S412, thesetting value storage control unit 203 determines whether the individualsetting values are registered. In a case where the setting value storagecontrol unit 203 determines that the individual setting values are notregistered (NO in step S412), the process proceeds to step S413. In acase where the setting value storage control unit 203 determines thatthe individual setting values are registered (YES in step S412), theprocess proceeds to step S414. In step S413, the setting value storagecontrol unit 203 obtains the common setting values corresponding to thesame key and treats the obtained common setting values as the individualsetting values. In step S414, the setting value storage control unit 203transmits the obtained individual setting values to respective controlunits and issues the request to change the processes to each of thecontrol units. The process then returns to step S410, and the settingvalue storage control unit 203 determines whether all of the settingvalues with respect to the keys included in the list have beenprocessed. In a case where all of the setting values have been processed(YES in step S410), the process of the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 8ends.

In a case where a new login instruction is received during theprocessing of the setting values, the processing of the setting valuescan be cancelled and the login process of the user to be newly logged inmay be performed. By performing such a method, unnecessary switching ofthe setting values can be omitted not only from the logout processperformed while a user is logged in and also from the login processperformed while the logout process is performed and the login processperformed while another login process is performed. Referring to FIG. 9,the details will be described below.

FIG. 9A is a flowchart illustrating in detail the information processingperformed by the setting value storage control unit 203 for controllingreflecting of the individual setting values in step S707 of theflowchart illustrated in FIG. 7A. More specifically, FIG. 9A is aflowchart illustrating an example of the information processingperformed in a case where a login has occurred while the process forreflecting the setting values at the time of login is performed. Asdescribed above, the process performed by the setting value storagecontrol unit 203 is realized by the CPU 111 executing the program storedin the ROM 113. The setting value storage control unit 203 issues arequest for executing the following process to each of the controlunits.

In step S901, the setting value storage control unit 203 refers to thelist of the keys in the setting information indicating the settingvalues required to be reflected at the time of login. The setting valuestorage control unit 203 then determines whether all of the settingvalues with respect to the keys included in the list have been obtained.For example, the list is stored in the setting DB 400. In a case wherethe setting value storage control unit 203 determines that not all ofthe individual setting values have been obtained (NO in step S901), theprocess proceeds to step S902. In a case where the setting value storagecontrol unit 203 determines that all of the individual setting valueshave been obtained (YES in step S901), the process illustrated in FIG.9A ends.

In step S902, the setting value storage control unit 203 determineswhether a login request has been received from the display operationcontrol unit 201. In a case where the setting value storage control unit203 determines that the login request has been received (YES in stepS902), the process proceeds to step S702 of the flowchart illustrated inFIG. 7A. In a case where the setting value storage control unit 203determines that the request has not been received (NO in step S902), theprocess proceeds to step S903.

In step S903, the setting value storage control unit 203 receives theuser identifier 321 issued in step S706 of the flowchart illustrated inFIG. 7A from the authentication control unit 202 and obtains theindividual setting values of the corresponding user from the setting DB400.

In step S904, the setting value storage control unit 203 determineswhether the individual setting values are registered. In a case wherethe setting value storage control unit 203 determines that theindividual setting values are not registered (NO in step S904), theprocess proceeds to step S905. In a case where the setting value storagecontrol unit 203 determines that the individual setting values areregistered (YES in step S904), the process proceeds to step S906.

In step S905, the setting value storage control unit 203 obtains thecommon setting values corresponding to the same key and treats theobtained common setting values as the individual setting values.

In step S906, the setting value storage control unit 203 transmits theobtained individual setting values to respective control units andissues the request to change the processes to each of the control units.The process then returns to step S901, and the setting value storagecontrol unit 203 determines whether all of the setting values withrespect to the keys included in the list have been processed. In a casewhere the setting value storage control unit 203 determines that all ofthe setting values have been processed (YES in step S901), the processof the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 9A ends.

FIG. 9B is a flowchart illustrating in detail the information processingperformed by the setting value storage control unit 203 for controllingreflecting of the common setting values in step S724 to step S726 of theflowchart illustrated in FIG. 7B. More specifically, the FIG. 9B is aflowchart illustrating an example of the information processingperformed in a case where a login has occurred while the process forreflecting the setting values at the time of logout is performed. Thesetting value storage control unit 203 issues a request to execute thefollowing process to each of the control units.

In step S910, the setting value storage control unit 203 refers to thelist of the keys in the setting information and determines whether allof the setting values have been obtained. In a case where the settingvalue storage control unit 203 determines that not all of the settingvalues have been obtained (NO in step S910), the process proceeds tostep S911. In a case where the setting value storage control unit 203determines that all of the setting values have been obtained (YES instep S910), the process illustrated in FIG. 9B ends.

In step S911, the authentication control unit 202 determines whether alogin request has been received from the display operation control unit201. In a case where the authentication control unit 202 determines thatthe login request has been received (YES in step S911), the processproceeds to step S702 of the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 7A. In a casewhere the authentication control unit 202 determines that the requesthas not been received (NO in step S911), the process proceeds to stepS912.

In step S912, the setting value storage control unit 203 obtains thecommon setting values from the setting DB 400.

In step S913, the setting value storage control unit 203 transmits theobtained common setting values to respective control units and issuesthe request to change the processes to each of the control units.

The process then returns to step S910, and the setting value storagecontrol unit 203 determines whether all of the setting values withrespect to the keys included in the list have been processed. If all ofthe setting values have been processed (YES in step S910), the processof the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 9A ends.

The above-described exemplary embodiments may also be realized byproviding a program to a system or an apparatus via a network or astorage medium and one or more processor in a computer of the system orthe apparatus reading and executing the program. Further, theabove-described exemplary embodiments may be realized by a circuit (suchas an application specific IC (ASIC)) which realizes one or morefunctions.

According to the above-described exemplary embodiments, in a case wherean image forming apparatus receives a new login request while a user islogged in, the image forming apparatus reflects individual settingvalues of a new user on setting values without reflecting common settingvalues when performing a logout process. As a result, a login process ofthe new user can be promptly performed.

Embodiment(s) of the present invention can also be realized by acomputer of a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computerexecutable instructions (e.g., one or more programs) recorded on astorage medium (which may also be referred to more fully as a‘non-transitory computer-readable storage medium’) to perform thefunctions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) and/orthat includes one or more circuits (e.g., application specificintegrated circuit (ASIC)) for performing the functions of one or moreof the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method performed by thecomputer of the system or apparatus by, for example, reading out andexecuting the computer executable instructions from the storage mediumto perform the functions of one or more of the above-describedembodiment(s) and/or controlling the one or more circuits to perform thefunctions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s). Thecomputer may comprise one or more processors (e.g., central processingunit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU)) and may include a network ofseparate computers or separate processors to read out and execute thecomputer executable instructions. The computer executable instructionsmay be provided to the computer, for example, from a network or thestorage medium. The storage medium may include, for example, one or moreof a hard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM),a storage of distributed computing systems, an optical disk (such as acompact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), or Blu-ray Disc (BD™),a flash memory device, a memory card, and the like.

While the present disclosure has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that these exemplaryembodiment are not seen to be limiting. The scope of the followingclaims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompassall such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No.2014-129444, filed Jun. 24, 2014, which is hereby incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a firstsetting unit configured to set, in a case where a login request isreceived and authentication of a user is successful, a setting value ofindividual setting information for the user to setting information ofthe image forming apparatus based on individual setting informationassociated with user identification information for identifying theuser; and a second setting unit configured to set, in a case where alogout request is received, a setting value of common settinginformation to the setting information of the image forming apparatusbased on common setting information, wherein the second setting unitomits, in a case where a login request of a new user is received whilethe user is logged in, a process for setting the setting value of thecommon setting information to the setting information of the imageforming apparatus based on the common setting information, and the firstsetting unit sets a setting value of individual setting information forthe new user to the setting information of the image forming apparatusbased on individual setting information associated with useridentification information for identifying the new user.
 2. The imageforming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first setting unitomits, in a case where the login request of the new user is receivedwhen the first setting unit performs setting of the setting value of theindividual setting information for the user to the setting informationof the image forming apparatus, a process for setting the setting valueof the individual setting information for the user to the settinginformation of the image forming apparatus and sets, based on theindividual setting information associated with the user identificationinformation for identifying the new user, the setting value of theindividual setting information for the new user to the settinginformation of the image forming apparatus.
 3. The image formingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting information includesdisplay language information.
 4. The image forming apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein the setting information includes initial screeninformation.
 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the setting information includes address book information.
 6. Aninformation processing method executed by an image forming apparatuscomprising: first-setting, in a case where a login request is receivedand authentication of a user is successful, a setting value ofindividual setting information for the user to setting information ofthe image forming apparatus based on individual setting informationassociated with user identification information for identifying theuser; and second-setting, in a case where a logout request is received,a setting value of common setting information to the setting informationof the image forming apparatus based on common setting information,wherein, in a case where a login request of a new user is received whilethe user is logged in, setting of the setting value of the commonsetting information to the setting information of the image formingapparatus based on the common setting information is omitted in thesecond-setting, and a setting value of individual setting informationfor the new user is set to the setting information of the image formingapparatus in the first-setting based on individual setting informationassociated with user identification information for identifying the newuser.
 7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storingcomputer executable instructions for causing a computer to perform amethod, the method comprising: first-setting, in a case where a loginrequest is received and authentication of a user is successful, asetting value of individual setting information for the user to settinginformation of the computer based on individual setting informationassociated with user identification information for identifying theuser; and second-setting, in a case where a logout request is received,a setting value of common setting information to the setting informationof the computer based on common setting information, wherein, in a casewhere a login request of a new user is received while the user is loggedin, setting of the setting value of the common setting information tothe setting information of the computer based on the common settinginformation is omitted in the second-setting, and a setting value ofindividual setting information for the new user is set to the settinginformation of the computer in the first-setting based on individualsetting information associated with user identification information foridentifying the new user.